Police seek information in abduction attempt in West Toledo

3/26/2013

BLADE STAFF

A 17-year-old girl told police a man tried to lure her into a van this morning in the 2600 block of West Sylvania Avenue.

The girl, a student at the nearby Horizon Academy, told police that just after 10 a.m. a man in a white-panel van approached her and asked her to get into the vehicle. She declined and called the police. She described the suspect as a light-skinned black man; 5 feet, 9 inches tall; thin build; 30 to 40 years old; wearing a brown jacket and a "rag" on his head, said police Sgt. Joe Heffernan.

The girl told police the van had a ladder rack without ladders on top.

The vehicle description is similar to what was reported to Sylvania police twice in February. The Sylvania incidents were reported about two weeks apart.

Sergeant Heffernan said it's not clear if this reported attempted abduction is related to any others, but investigators are trying to put pieces together.

"It's clearly not related to some of the other ones we've had, but it's all stuff we're trying to work on," he said. "It may be related to other ones."